OTRC: Will Smith's kissy reporter apologizes to the actor

Ukranian reporter Vitalii Sediuk appears in a May 2012 interview with Hip Hollywood. / Will Smith appears in a still from a Life News video at the Moscow premiere of 'Men in Black 3' on Friday, May 18, 2012. (Hip Hollywood / Life News)

Vitalii Sediuk, the Ukrainian journalist who got slapped by Will Smith after trying to kiss him at the Moscow premiere of "Men in Black 3" last week has apologized.

"After having the possibility to think and analyze everything that happened, now I do apologize for my behavior," Sediuk said in a statement. "But I still hope for other meeting... I think it was too much... I can say it was it was an emotional impulse. Will Smith is a person whom I deeply respect as an actor, I've been watching him since my childhood and of course when I met him in Moscow finally I just wanted to do something, not extraordinary, but to impress him."

"We have Slovak tradition, and of course I don't do that often - I don't kiss every man or woman when I meet him or her on the street - but that time I decided to do that," Sediuk continued. "I don't take offense and of course we have different mentalities, ethics, stuff like that, and it's not a big deal for me to say, 'I'm sorry, Will. It was a splash of emotion. It was an emotional moment, and I'm sorry for that.' Next time if I meet him, I'll just shake his hand and then we'll be fine."

In the press line on May 18, Smith greeted Sediuk, who proceeded to give the actor kisses on both cheeks and apparently got too close to a mouth kiss, which caught the actor off-guard. Smith pushed the man back, saying "What the hell is your problem, buddy?" before slapping him with the back of his hand.

Smith, who was still on Russia's Life News' camera, said the reporter tried to kiss him on the mouth and quipped, "This joker. He's lucky I ain't sucker punched him."

Smith has not commented about the incident. After the incident, the 43-year-old actor continued to walk down the red carpet and talk to other reporters and sign autographs for fans, a source told OnTheRedCarpet.com.

Will Smith reprises his role as Agent J in "Men In Black 3," which hits theaters stateside on May 25. He also has several movies in production and more than three dozen in development, including sequels to "Independence Day," "Hancock," "I, Robot" and "Bad Boys," and a prequel to his 2007 film, "I Am Legend."